Can-filling machine



(No Model.) 3 shens-sneet 1. G. L. MERRELL.

GAN FILLING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 12,1892.

l` bf WITNESSES: nNvENToH ff/n1 I B Y u 70 ATTORNEY l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIUS LEVIS MERRELL, OF SYRAOUSE, N ENV YORK.'

CAN-FILLING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 472,583, dated April 12, 1892.

Y Application iiled February 27, 1889. Serial No. 301,309. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it. known that I. GAIUs LEWIS MERRELL, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the Stateof New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Can-Filling Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved cantillingmachine, and has for its object the production of a simple and effective means for feeding the cans from a suitable con veyer to a filling device and for holding the can so that a minimum amount of material is allowed to escape during the operation of filling the can g and to this end my invention consists, essentially, in a feeding passage or conveyer mounted above guides for the cans, a filler for filling the cans, a plunger in the discharge of the feeding-passage for feeding the cans to the filler, and means for securely holding the can to be filled after the plunger has forced the same beneath the discharge of the filler, and a yielding support beneath the filler for bringing the cans into contact with the filler in order to prevent the escape of the canning material.

It furthermore consists in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In specifying myinvention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure lis an elevation of my improved device with the can-conveyer and the detached discharge end of the can-filler in operative position, illustrating the relative construction and arrangement of the parts of my-feeding device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line c x, Fig. l, illustrating the means for bringing the can into close contact with the can-iiller. taken on line y g/,Fig l,illustrating the manner of connecting the plunger and lever for operating the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the detached can-guide, illustrating the detail construction and arrangement of the same, the yielding support for the can to be filled, and the means for securely holding the can during the operation of the ller,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section said holding device being shown in its open position. Fig. 5 is a like top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4, illustrating the holding device in its closed position for securelyclamping the can in the can-guidewhen in position beneath the filler. Fig. 6 is a detached elevation of one of the rails of the yielding support beneath the can and the detached upper end of the strap connected to operate said rail. Fig. 7 is a detached detail illustrating the method of adjusting the can-guide to cans of different diameter. Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating a horizontal section of the vdetached can-feeding plunger and a detached portion of the plunger-actuating lever. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a portion of the can-filler, illustrating particularly the contact-plate at the exit of said filler, against which plate the cans are forced by the yielding support therefor. Fig. l0 is a vertical sectional view taken on line ,e e', Fig. 9,showing said filler, contactplate, and a splash-plate hinged to the filler. Fig. ll is a horizontal sectional view taken on line a ot, Fig. 9, further illustrating said contacteplate and splash-plate; and Fig. 12 is an inverted plan View of the part-s illustrated in Fig. 10 for further illustrating their construction and operation.

My improved can-feeding device is in the present instance shown as connected or provided upon a can-filling machine, and to illustrate the operation of the same l have shown the filler A and a portion of one of the supporting-standards B of the can-filler, the remaining parts of which machine in a description of my present invention it is unnecessary to further illustrate and describe.

C represents the can guide, preferably mounted upon a standard B', secured or provided upon the supportingbracket B. Above the guideway C and discharging thereinto is the feed passage or conveyer D, mounted on a suitable bracket d, also preferably supported by the standard B.

Operated in the can-guideway C and beneath the discharge end of the feed passage or conveyer D is the plunger E, of any desirable form and construction and movable toward and away from said conveyer by means of the lever F, connected thereto, and preferably by a rounded hub or projection f, mounted in a slot e in said plunger, as shown ICO in Fig. Si. One extremity le" of the levcrF is pivoted at f2 to a bracket G, supported, as desired, upon either the can-guide C or the supporting-standard l, and the opposite extremity lf2 is provided with a handle F* to allow of its easy operation and the consequent moving of the plunger toward and from the conveyer D.

The eonvryer D, which may be of anysuitable length, is supplied with cans to be filled with the canned material, and the cans are fed downward by force of gravity with the base of the lowest can resting upon the top face of the plunger ll. The plunger is then withdrawn from beneath the conveyer bythe lever-li until said lever strikes the stop C, whereupon said can drops down into the position of the can, (lettered n.) 'lhe lever is then operated forward, feeding a new can to the filler A,which is mounted above the eauguideway C at a short distance from the conveyerl). Upon this movementof the plunger a fresh can drops down upon the top face thereof, and when the lever l" is again operated said eau is fed along as theI one just described, makingtheoperation of the machine continuous upon working the lever lf.

Pivoted to a bracket c, secured to the eanguide, is the lever ll, having its forward end ll' preferably coinciding with the contour of the can, and by means of said lever the can to be filled is closely pressed against the opposite wall of the guideway C. The opposite extremity of the lever ll is provided with the slot Il?, in which works a pin fi", provided upon the lever l?. Vlhe rearward and greater portion of the slot ll2 is preferably concent rie with the pivot]2 of the lever li, and the forward and less portion of said slot is deflected inward toward the plane of said pivot for the purpose ot' causing the forward end of the leverllto rock inward at the end of the movement of the lever l `,aud thus firmly impinge the can to be filled lf by the operation of the plunger the can should receive sufficientimpetus tobe carried slightly beyond the desired position beneath the filler, it is obvious that the peculiar construction of the forward extremity of the lever ll will cause the can to center with the curved face of said end ll, and thus force the can backward, so that its periphery shall be brought into close contactI with the abutting face of said lever, and it will be seen that the forward movement of the plunger will be limited by the forward extremity of the slot ll2 contacting with the pinf.

To successfully fill calls with canned material, it is necessary that the face thereof into which the material is inserted shall be brought into close contact with the discharge end of the filler. To effect this desirable result,l provide the filler A at its exit with the euv larged and substantially fiat plate A', whieh is preferably formed integral with the frame of said fillet', as illustrated in Figs. i?. fl, l0, ll, and l2, and is provided with an cxit-opening d', that is also the exit-opening of the filler. .he exit-opening e is of considerably less area than the plate A, and when said opening is registered with the inlet-opening of the can about to be filled the top of the can is brought into close contact with the plate A', thus preventingT any material being forced between the can and plate.

As best shown in Fig. 7, the plate A is formed with its forward extremity A2 curved upward to allow the cans to readily feed beneath the same, and is provided with the cutout A4, which extends vertically entirely through the plate and rearwardly from a point above the central inlet-opening of the can, being of almost the same width at its forward extremity as the diameter of the opening e.

At liig. l2 I have shown by the dotted line 1 the outer edge of the can to be filled, and by dotted line 2 the inlet-opening of the can, and it will be noticed that the opening d in the plate A is of less diameter than the inletopening of the can, and that the forward extremity A"` of the opening `A4, which is substantially concentric with the opening d', is formed with a shorter radius than the inletopening of the can, being thus extended direetly above the inlet-opening of the can, as aforesaid, and that the opposite extremity Aci of said cut-out A4 extends beyond the inlet,- opening of the can, thus permitting the air to escape rapidly from a large opening.

Oppositelyarranged with the can-filler,or, in other words, directly beneath the same, l pro vide the supportl, preferably consisting of a pair of rails adapted to bear against the bottom of the can and having an up-and-down movement in the slots or eut-outs c2, provided inthe bottom or base of the canguide and 0ppositely arranged with or beneath the filler A. Secured to the support K are the straps li', connected together at their lower ends by the tie-piecelf, having the npwardly-extending hub K3, mounted on the spindle-rod or depending support L, secured in the bottom of the eau-guide. Interposed between the ticpiece K2 and a nut Z, secured near the lower extremity of the rod L, is the spring M, which constantly forces upward said support K until the top face of the sleeve K is brought against' the bottom of the can-guide.

ily reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the rails of the support K when in their no1'- mal position are slightly raised above the bottom of the can-guide C, and to allow the cans to be readily fed upon and from the rails the extremities thereof are slightly beveled or curved. As preferably adjusted, the distance between the support K and the plate A ofthe filler is less than the length of cans to be filled, and when by the plunger E the cans are .fed over the rails the same are slightly depressed against the action of the spring M.

lt is well known that the cans frequently vary in height, and this construction of the yielding support l brings the can into close IOO IIO

contact with the discharge end of the ller, even if the same is slightly above or below the common height, and by means of the nut l the tension of t-he spring may be increased or decreased, causing the rails of the said support to press the can with the desired force against the bottom plate A of the filler A.

In filling cans more or less of the material is forced out of the can with the escaping air, spattering or scattering upon the adjacent surfaces of the machine. It will be observed that this escape of the material is almost entirely obviated by reason of the rails or support K pressing the cans closely againstV the bottom plate A of the filler A. However, as there will still be aliability of a slight escape of the material from the canI form the swell or shield C3, which forms an enlargement in the can-guideway at the rear of the can and just back of the discharge-opening As in the bettom plate A of the ller, which shield is curved backwardly from the can-guide and I Il,

extends upwardly beyond the top of the cans. To further prevent the canned material escaping from the cans from spattering upon my feeding device and adjacent objects, I provide the stop or splash plate R, (see Figs. 1, 2, 9,

-10, ll, and 12,) preferably consisting of the downwardlyT extending vertically disposed shield r, the horizontal shoulder r', and the vertically-extending portion r2, which latter portion is provided with a pin or projection R', pivotally mountedin aprojection extending outwardly from the filler A. This pin R allows the splash-plate R to be swung upward out of operative position for any desired purpose, as shown in dotted lines at Fig. 9, and when in operative position, as shown in Figs. 10 and ll, the shoulder or horizontallydisposed portion r rests upon the shoulder A6 of the filler and prevents thelower end of said plate R from swinging too far inward, as would otherwise be the case7 since with the exception of said shoulder ,r2 the only support of said plate is its pivotal pin R. It will thus be understood that when desired to remove the stop-plate R it is only necessary to move the same lengthwise, and thus withdraw its pivotal pin R from theprojection d of the filler A. The material forced out of the can with the escaping air falls through openings or cut-outs c2 in the can-guide, and beneath the can-guideis the large pan or other receptacle N, supported, preferably, upon a suitable bracket provided upon the standard B, which pan serves to collect the material dropping through the openings c2 and pre- `vents the waste thereof.

By reference to Figs. 4t and 5 it will be seen that the can is impinged by the extremity H of the lever H against a cross-bar C4in front of the swell or shield C3. This bar C4 is supported, preferably, on the interior of the canguide at the points where the swell C3 begins and ends and is adjustable toward the end I-l of the lever H. The bar C4 thus prevents the cans being forced into the swell and forms a portion of the opposite wall of the can-guide, which by means of its adjustment toward said lever H adjusts the guide for cans of various sizes, since the said bar maybe adjusted toward and away from said lever H, so that whatever the size of the canthe same will be tightly impinged against said bar. Moreover, this adjustment allows all wear upon said lever H to be easily taken up and greatly increases the durability and effectiveness of the machine. v

The adjustment of the bar C4 is preferably secured by means of screws I engaging a threaded socket in the can-guide or the supporting-bracket therefor and having their inner extremities secured to the bar and preferably riveted thereto, as shown in Fig. 7. By turning the screw I in one direction the bar is drawn toward the end H', and by reversingthe motion of the screw the bar is retracted from said end of the lever H, and a stop-nut 'i is preferably used to insure the retention of said screw I in the position to which it is adjusted.

Supported upon the can-guide and extending upwardly therefrom to a point above the can-top is the bracket O. Intel-posed between said bracket O and a plate O', secured thereto by bolts o, is the wiper P, preferably of rubber and adapted to wipe from the top of the can whatever material may have been forced thereon in filling the can. In the present instance there is no means shown to receive the cans after they are discharged from the feeder; but it will be understood that a table or even a carrier might be used for the purpose of receiving the cans, as after being filled they are discharged for the purpose of soldering and ready for the cap to be soldered thereto. Y

I am aware that in can-filling machines the lower extremity of the filler has been formed in some cases with a shoulderl provided with small perforations for the escape of the air; but such perforations do not adequately permit escape of the air, and it will be understood that I do not herein wish to claim such construction.

The operation of my invention will be readily perceived from the foregoing, and it will be understood that instead of operating the lever F by hand to actuate the plungerE the same might be operated by a connection to' IOO IIO

the machinery for operating the can-filler and port for allowing the same to yield when the cans are `fed into operative position in relation to the filler, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a can'tiller, a guideway through which the cans are fed to said filler, a support opposite to the can-filler and movable within said guideway, and a plunger for feeding the cans through the guideway to the filler, substantially as described.

The combination of a cairllcr, a guideway through which the cans are fed to the iiller, said guidebcing provided with an opening or cut-out, a support movable in said opening, and a spring for forcing said support toward the filler and yielding to allow the cans to feed to the desired position in relation to the filler, and a plunger for feeding the cans through said guideway, substantially as set forth.

it. The combination ot' a can-filler, a guideway through which the cans are fed, provided with an opening` opposite to the can-filler, a can-support guided through said opening and having an inclined forward extremity, a spring for allowing said support to yield to enable the can to i'eed to the can-filler, and means, substantially as described, for feeding said cans to the said guideway, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. 'lhe combination of a can-filler, a eanguide beneath said filler and having openings opposite to the filler, means, substantially as described, for feeding the cans through said gnideway, a can-support guided through said opening in the can-guide, a depending support. arranged beneath the canguide, a sleeve provided on said eairsupport and guided on said depending support, and a spring for operating the can-support, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination ot' a cauiiller, a canguide beneath said tiller and having openings opposite said liller, means, substantially as described, for feeding the cans through the can-guide, the support L,depending from the base of the guideway, the movable supports K, provided willi a sleeve lf2, the spring lli, mounted on the support L beneath the sleeve K2, and a nut Z for compressing the sgriug, substantially as specitied.

7. The combination ot' a cairtiiler, a canguide for conducting the cans to the filler, means, substantially as described, for feeding the cans through said guide, an enlargement in the guideway, arranged beneath the iiller, and a guide-rail Afor preventing the cans from feeding into said enlargement, substantially as and for the purpose described.

S. The combination of a cai1-iiller, a canguide for conducting the cans to the tiller, means, substantially as described, for feeding the cans through said guide, an enlargement in the guideway, arranged beneath the iiller, a guide-rail for preventing the cans from feeding into said enlargement, and adjustingscrews for varying the distance of said guiderail from the opposite portion of said guideway, substanti,.tllyv as and for the purpose set forth.

E). The combination of a can-tiller, a canguide for conducting the cans to the filler, means, substantially as described, for feeding the cans through the can-guide, and the verticallyarranged plate lt, removably secured to said iiller, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

l0. The combination of a can-filler, a canguide for conducting the cans to the filler, means, substantially as described, for feeding thc cans through the can-guide, and the vertically-arranged plate R, hinged to said caniiiler for allowing the same to be swung into and out of operative position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

lt. The combination of acan-tiller, a guideway for the cans, means, substantially as described, for feeding the cans, a lever II, having its end li provided with a concaved face for engaging the cans, and a connection between said feeding means and lever Il, whereby the latter is operatively timed, substatitially as and for the purpose described.

l2. The combination of a can-filler, a guideway for the cans, a plunger for feeding the cans, the lever F for operating the plunger, the lever ll, having a concaved engaging face for retaining the can to be filled, and a connection between said levers ll and F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. The combination of a can-filler, a guideway for the cans, a plunger for feeding the cans, an oscillating lever F, having the rounded portion f for engaging the plunger, the pivoted lever ll, having a coneaved face for engaging the can, and a pin provided on one of said levers and engaging a slot in the other, substantially as and for the purpose specitied.

li. The combination of a can-filler, a guideway for the cans, a plunger for feeding the cans, a lever F for operating the plunger, the swinging lever if, having a coneaved face for engaging the cans and provided with a slot or cut-out havingone extremity substantially concentric with the pivot ot' the lever F and the other extremity cam-shaped, and a projeetion on said lever F for engaging said slot orcut-out ot' the lever il, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of NewYork, this 21st day of February, 1389.

GAIUS LEWIS MERRELL.

Witnesses:

CLARK il. No1-vrou, A. PARSONS.

IOO

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